"LAWFUL EVENTS"

I saw Superman Returns yesterday! What a rush! There is hope in the world again! I love you Superman!



Superman Returns
Starring Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth
Written by Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris
Directed by Bryan Singer


I lost my breath and was literally shaking as the ominous Superman March hit my ears and the famous “S” flashed up on the big screen. The first Superman movie was released in 1978 (the year I am proud to say I was born in) and ever since then I have been a fan of the big guy in blue and red tights. I love Superman and I believe so do many others, whether they like to admit it or not, they all secretly have a Superman shirt and red cape stashed away somewhere in their house.

Christopher Reeve was Superman and he will always be in my mind. However, Brandon Routh’s portrayal of the Man of Steel is just as worthy. The movie loosely takes place right after Superman II (the one where Superman fights the three baddies in black and finally does the deed with Miss Lane) and Superman has been missing for the past five years. The world has moved on and so has Superman/Clark Kent’s love, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth gives a solid performance, but comes off a little too young and lacks bite) who claims, “...the world doesn’t need a savior and neither do I” -- but in Metropolis and the very real post 9/11 climate of reality, we all know we could use someone like Superman. He is a symbol of hope -- the greatest super-power anyone can possess. Yeah, he can fly and shoot fire from his eyes and yeah, he is bulletproof -- but more importantly he stands for the good we all are capable of and that makes him the king of all heroes as far as I am concerned. Too goody-two-shoes for you? Well, that’s alright because Kevin Spacey’s performance as Lex Luthor is truly inspired and outright entertaining. Spacey plays the master criminal with the perfect amount of humour and is joyfully evil. It is no wonder the man has two Academy Awards under his belt.

Written by former X-Men scribes, Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris and directed by former X-Men director, Bryan Singer -- the movie was destined to be great before a foot of film was shot. Superman Returns looks fantastic, but it is our human connection with Clark Kent/Superman that makes us fall in love with the movie. We all feel like an “outsider” sometimes and wish we could fly away for awhile, but we can’t. Same with Superman, except for the fact that he can fly away, but he chooses not to for the sake of the world. He says to Lois, “...you say the world doesn’t need a savior... but everyday I hear people crying for one”. I am feeling goose bumps again...

I don’t care what anyone says -- Superman is the best. No other super-hero even comes close. After all, he was the first. Not Batman, not Spider-Man, not Hulk, not anybody you can list -- they are no Superman. With Superman Returns, I believe Superman is back and is here to stay. The original Superman is still the best Superman on screen, but Superman Returns makes his father proud. With a bright light, Superman Returns introduces a whole new generation of children to Superman and brings back hope to the world once again. So, whip out your Superman shirt and dust off your red cape because Superman has returned!


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: A movie that inspires and entertains. It is a visual and emotional feast.

The Bad: No one can replace Christopher Reeve as Superman, but Brandon Routh makes us proud.

The Law: Superman has returned! We love you, Superman! Please don’t go away again! Watch the movie, then watch it again in Imax 3D and then watch it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again...

Murder Unveiled
Starring Anita Majumdar, Chenier Hundal
Written by S. Bennett, M.R. Smith and Directed by Vic Sarin


I can actually say that I used to walk home from school with the star of this made-for-tv movie, Murder Unveiled. Anita Majumdar was my neighbor and I am very proud of her performance in this wonderfully crafted film.

Murder Unveiled takes us into the world of arranged marriages that still exists in East Indian Culture. True love is allowed, as long as you love someone from a family that your family has handpicked with a certain level of respect and riches. Murder Unveiled is based on the true story of Jaswinder Kaur, who was murdered for loving a “peasant” and rejecting her family’s wishes of marrying someone from a wealthy family. When your father’s motto is, “A daughter is only a guest in her father’s house” -- that is not a good sign. Although tragic, all the elements of this story make a great film. Forbidden love, murder, exotic locations, lots of yelling and fighting -- it’s all there. For those of us who are a lucky enough to choose who we want to marry, Murder Unveiled will give us a taste of what it is like to have that freedom taken away and hopefully will help us understand and sympathize with women from cultures that still follow old-fashioned customs like arranged marriage.

Check out Murder Unveiled if you can get a copy of the film (it aired on CBC, Canada) -- and Anita, if you happen to be reading this, I just want to say that I am so proud of you and how far you have come -- may you be the next Julia Roberts!


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: An elegantly crafted film that entertains and raises discussion.

The Bad: Could have used some more advertising and promotion to get more exposure to the world.

The Law: Watch Murder Unveiled if you can find a copy of it.

"LAWFUL EVENTS"

The wait is finally over... SUPERMAN RETURNS TOMORROW!!!!



Lethal Weapon 4
Starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Chris Rock, Rene Russo
Written by Jonathan Lemkin and Directed by Richard Donner


Explosive. Charged. If I had to describe Lethal Weapon 4 in two words, those would be the two words. If I had to add a third word, it would be: fire. The title credit is on fire (it literally is on fire) and the opening scene involves a maniac with a gun in one hand and a flamethrower in the other. From that point on the movie only gets more heated and intense.

The ever-so-lovable team of Murtaugh (Glover) and Riggs (Gibson) are back and better than ever. The two are clearly more mature looking (a nice way of saying old) and the filmmakers don’t try and hide it -- they use it. With a storyline that has Riggs on the verge of becoming a father with his girlfriend Lorna (Russo) and Murtaugh on the verge of becoming the grandfather of a child his daughter secretly conceived with a fellow detective, Lee Butters (Chris Rock), who Murtaugh thinks is gay -- you can just see the laughs from a mile away. It also helps that Gibson and Glover have so much chemistry together and are one of the original buddy-cop duos as created by the buddy-cop master himself, Shane Black. Joe Pesci also returns as Leo, the potty-mouthed, short-tempered buddy of the buddies. Lethal Weapon 4 is probably the last Lethal Weapon, so it is natural that the filmmakers would pull out all the stops to make it memorable. With Richard Donner at the helm and the introduction of Jet Li to Hollywood, this Lethal Weapon has more than the regular Joel Silver produced action movie quota of at least one big action sequence every fifteen minutes. Lethal Weapon 4 averages at least one every like five minutes -- each one involving lots of explosions, fire, and rapid fire dialogue as only Gibson and Glover can deliver.

Lethal Weapon 4 is utterly satisfying action and comedy rolled up into a nice fireball. It knows its purpose and it knows how to do it well. With the exception of some bad Chinese stereotypes, there is very little wrong with this movie. It lets Jet Li kick some major tail and really showcases his talent. It lets Gibson and Glover exchange their banter and wit -- and most importantly the movie shows us a lot of things going up in a ball of flames and shattering. Lethal Weapon 4 locks onto its target and hits it right on the mark.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: Lots of laughs and lots and lots of action!

The Bad: Chinese stereotypes are a little annoying, but typical for an action movie.

The Law: Lethal Weapon 4 is right on target!

"POINT OF REVIEW"


8 Mile
Starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer
Written by Scott Silver and Directed by Curtis Hanson


I don’t particularly like Eminem, but I do respect him. I respect him for being a “white-boy” in a predominantly “black” business and I respect him for how he got there. Underneath all that angry attitude is a very gifted and talented artist who has a way with words. That is what ultimately brought him to the top of the rap game and hopefully that is what he will be remembered for. Not surprisingly, Eminem (real name: Marshall Mathers) can act too. Yes, he is playing himself in this movie, but you have to admit, even playing yourself requires talent sometimes.

8 Mile is loosely based on the real life story of Eminem, a story about a kid nicknamed B-Rabbit who lives in a trailer park with his mom on a stretch called 8 Mile in Detroit, who dreams of becoming a successful rapper -- just like all the other poverty-stricken kids. Mekhi Phifer plays David Porter, aka Future, a hip-cat who hosts rap battles at a place called The Shelter, where up-and-coming rappers battle each other with words and hope to gain some “street cred” and get noticed by somebody that can get them a million dollar contract. When Rabbit is not hangin’ with his crew at The Shelter, he spends his days slaving away in a car manufacturing factory (it’s Detroit, remember) and then goes home to deal with his “white trash” mother, played surprisingly well by Kim Basinger of all people. Needless to say, like sucks. All Rabbit has is his gift for rap, and that is even causing him problems. Because Rabbit is obviously white, he gets a lot of heat from the other street kids and is constantly questioning his talent. Brittany Murphy (looking kind of psychotic) also pops in and out of Rabbit’s life as a new love interest who tells him, “Someday, you’re going to be great”. Directed by Curtis Hanson (Wonder Boys), and produced by Brian Grazer (Imagine Entertainment, aka Ron Howard’s power partner), 8 Mile is very well done. It is dramatic, but not too overly dramatic, and it definitely is pumping in the music category. Eminem shows some real emotion on the mic and off and really gives a solid performance.

We all know how 8 Mile ends obviously, but watching any rise-to-glory movie is always inspiring and entertaining. Unless you are already filthy rich or at the top of the mountain in your career and life, movies like 8 Mile always give us hope of something more and always capture our imaginations. Could I become a superstar rapper? Probably not, but I can still dream of becoming a successful screenwriter. So whether you hate Eminem or not, check out 8 Mile and let it remind you that life sometimes is like one big cliche, and dreams still can come true.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: An inspiring and entertaining story.

The Bad: If you dislike rap with a passion, this movie may annoy you at some points.

The Law: 8 Mile is worth a watch and listen. Let it inspire you.

"POINT OF REVIEW"


Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
Starring Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, and a lot of kids
Written by Craig Titley & Directed by Shawn Levy


This movie made me feel all warm and fuzzy all over. It reminded me of being a kid again and it made me want to be a parent one day. “You’re crazy,” is probably what you are saying -- how could you want to have kids after watching a movie about a family that has twelve kids that practically tear the house down. Let’s just say that I felt the love. The love of a tight-knit family and the love that went into making this heartfelt and funny movie.

Cheaper by the Dozen is a remake of the 1950’s movie of the same name, which amazingly was based on a true story of a family with twelve kids. This remake, unlike many others we have seen as of late due to the creative dry-spell in Hollywood, is actually really well done and can stand on its own. Steve Martin is perfect as Tom Baker (get it? Baker’s dozen), a loving father (ironically Martin does not have any kids in real life) that gave up on his dreams of coaching his old college football team years ago in order to raise a family the old-fashioned way in the country. Bonnie Hunt is equally as perfect (also does not have kids in real life) as his wife Kate and mother of the twelve kids (she still looks amazingly good somehow, a joke throughout the movie) and also a parent who has given up on her big-city dreams. Together they somehow manage to make everything work while raising a long list of children played by some big names such as Hilary Duff, Piper Perabo, and Tom Welling. Keeping track of all the kids is virtually impossible, but watching them get into mischief is great fun. Things are perfect for the Bakers, but then Tom gets a job offer to finally coach for his college team and Kate gets a publishing deal like she always dreamed of and they both pursue their aspirations much to their kids’ dismay. The movie does a good job of dealing with all the growing pains a family must go through when their kids reach a certain age and it makes you envious of the ease at which they are handled by the Bakers. Sigh -- if only real life were like a movie.

I know, I know, Cheaper by the Dozen is not a cutting edge Indie movie and it is not incredibly ground breaking or anything -- but it is one hell of a family movie. And really, at the end of the day, don’t we all long for a solid, well-done family movie sometimes. I think so. So whether you are a parent, a kid, or just an adult who still feels like a kid sometimes -- Cheaper by the Dozen won’t disappoint you like real life often times does.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: A solid funny and heartfelt family movie.

The Bad: May be a little sweet for strictly black coffee drinkers.

The Law: Cheaper by the Dozen is guaranteed to entertain, unlike reality based families.

"LAWFUL EVENTS"

I seem to be pissed off at everything this week... So here are some lyrics from Linkin Park's Breaking the Habit:

I don't know what's worth fighting for
Or why I have to scream
I don't know why I instigate
And say what I don't mean
I don't know how I got this way
I know it's not alright
So I'm breaking the habit
Tonight



"POINT OF REVIEW"


The Ice Harvest
Starring John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen
Written by Richard Russo & Robert Benton
Directed by Harold Ramis

I hate John Cusack. He is a talented actor/writer who will always be loved by millions of females for his portrayal of Lloyd Dobler and seems to be able to take on challenging roles and Hollywood ones in the same breath. Why do you make it so hard for the rest of us, John?! As you can tell, I don’t really hate John Cusack -- but hey, it got your attention didn’t it? Much like The Ice Harvest, it will get your attention at first, but then things won’t live up.

The Ice Harvest is suppose to be a dark comedy set in Wichita about a pair of scummy fellows who manage to embezzle two million dollars from a bunch of heavies on Christmas Eve -- and with names like Harold Ramis and John Cusack attached, it certainly got my attention. Based on the cynical book of the same name by Scott Phillips, the movie never seems to find its cinematic footing and like walking on ice, it slips and slides in and out of some great scenes and some bad scenes. John Cusack plays scummy fellow number one: a mob lawyer by the name of Charlie Arglist, who opens the movie with a very nice monologue that really sets a wicked tone for the movie, unfortunately a tone that is not consistent. Billy Bob Thornton is equally as cool (teaming up with his Pushing Tin co-star Cusack again) as Vic, a pornographer who appears to be the brains of the whole scheme. Thornton and Cusack are magic together; the dialogue sounds snappier and more high brow when the two are talking, but unfortunately we don’t get enough of the two. The movie is trying hard to be cool in the way that dark comedies can be, but it never quite gets it right. Harold Ramis of Ghostbusters fame and the director of the hilarious Groundhog Day is a talented filmmaker, I am sure, but he just can’t quite keep this ship on course. Instead of using Cusack and Thornton to their fullest, he strays and makes us spend 40% of the movie with Cusack and Oliver Platt (I mean, for God’s sake, Oliver Platt?!), who plays a drinking friend of Arglist’s who happens to be married to his hot ex-wife and seems to be having some marital problems, why, we don’t really ever find out. Connie Nielsen is hot as usual as a strip club owner, but unfortunately her acting is not. Beside a master thespian like Cusack, you gotta step up your game and she did not. She was cold. In fact, beside all the strippers we see in the numerous strip clubs in this movie, she is cold there as well. Come to think of it, there really isn’t much going for this movie besides Cusack. He is really at the top of his game here, displaying his natural charm, wit, and dark innards, but unfortunately his talents are wasted in a vehicle that is only sub-par. With a runtime of an hour and twenty-nine minutes, the film felt long. Get the drift? I am sure the cast and crew really, really, really, wanted to make a kick-ass movie -- it’s just too bad they failed.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: John Cusack gives one of his best performances.

The Bad: Uneven movie with bad pacing and bad direction.

The Law: Rent on DVD to check out John Cusack’s awesome performance and some cool extras.

"LAWFUL EVENTS"

I got the worst case of stomach flu ever, I now have all the Superman Slurpee cups from 7-11, my Australian friend James is coming up from Salt Lake City this weekend, my back hurts.


"POINT OF REVIEW" (notice I now call this section, Point of "Review" and not "View" -- well, at least I like it)



The Cutting Edge
Starring D.B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Terry O’Quinn
Written by Tony Gilroy and Directed by Paul Michael Glaser


At this moment in time, I am screenwriter that is still unsearchable on IMDB, therefore making me not really a legit screenwriter. Now if I were to try and pitch you a story about an ex-hockey player who teams up with a bitchy figure skater and together they go on to win the gold medals at the Olympics and fall in love -- you would probably think I should stick to my day job. But what producers and people in development often forget is that the key to any successful movie is not how plausible an idea is, but how much potential for magic there is in it. Just look at Mr. M. Night Shyamalan -- he is laughing his magical ass to the bank while whole studios are going bankrupt.

D.B. Sweeney, the actor who portrayed Shoeless Joe Jackson in Eight Men Out, plays yet another athlete: Doug Dorsey. Doug Dorsey is a member of the US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team and is being hailed as the next big thing. He is like fire on ice and is also is quite fiery with the ladies as well. Ah, the life of a hockey player. Moira Kelly (Billy Bathgate), plays Kate Moseley, the bitchy princess US pairs figure skater with tonnes of potential, but no medals or permanent skating partner to show for it. After Dorsey gets permanently injured in a game and Kate literally falls on her ass in front of the world, we can pretty much shelf the careers of these two superstars, but wait, we are forgetting magic. Flash forward several years and Dorsey is now working in construction (why do “losers” always end up in construction in movies, I happen to think construction is a very respectable and well paying occupation) and Kate is still auditioning partners with her new Russian skating coach, Anton Pamchenko (Roy Dotrice), in the middle of nowhere. Being the kick-ass coach that Pamchenko is, he thinks outside-of-the-box and looks to Dorsey as the next contestant on the skater-is-right. Kate and Dorsey hate each other with a vengeance, which of course we all know means that they love each other just as much. And here is where the fun begins.

For like the next forty minutes of the movie, director Paul Michael Glaser (that’s right, the original Starsky from Starsky and Hutch; who would have thought he would go on to direct movies, I certainly didn’t) brings us Dorsey and Kate bickering and fighting and skating and gaining respect for each other and eventually even loving one another. Their worlds are so different, but yet so similar. Maybe it is the ice that joins them as one. Who knows -- but what we do know is that Kate has a long distance relationship going with some other guy (let this be a lesson, don’t have long distance relationships -- they don’t work!) and Dorsey just can’t seem to keep his pants zipped (he is a guy, self-explanatory) -- both these things drive each of them crazy and just make them realize even more that they need to be more than just partners on the ice.

I don’t need to tell you that they eventually win the gold medals at the Olympics (the pair perform a move call the “Pamchenko” that looks more like a death swing than a figure skating move; worth the price of admission right there) and they eventually win each other’s love as well, but what I do feel the need to tell you is that no matter how ridiculous this movie may seem on the surface, it is truly something fun and unique and you will have a blast watching it. Again, I thought the movie was going to be a piece of garbage based on the premise alone when I first heard of it, but somehow it all comes together and it works. Call it magic or call it whatever you want, The Cutting Edge is classic cinematic gold that will be loved by figure skating fans and enjoyed by moviegoers.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: Crazy premise, but maybe that is what makes it so enjoyable to watch.

The Bad: Contains your regularly scheduled romantic comedy cliches.

The Law: The Cutting Edge deserves a standing ovation.

Scream
Starring Neve Campbell, Skeet Ulrich, Courteney Cox, and lots of other teenagers or twenty-year-olds that look like teenagers
Written by Kevin Williamson and Directed by Wes Craven


I never really liked horror movies that much, but after watching Scream, I became a horror fan. Like after being bitten by a vampire and then developing a thirst for blood -- after watching Scream I wanted more, more, more horror! Now I love horror and I am forever grateful to Scream for that.

Directed by Wes Craven, “The Man” as far as horror films go (he did Nightmare on Elm Street if you happen to not know) and written by Kevin Williamson (his screenwriting debut and a writing God in my books) -- Scream is one f**king awesome movie. It is filled with homages and nods to classic horror films such as Prom Night, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street and basically uses all the cliches that have been developed by these horror films against themselves and turns the whole genre on its head! The basic storyline of the movie is that a psychopathic killer is stalking a group of teenagers just like in the movies and the teenagers who happen to be quite horror movie savvy as well are trying to outsmart him or her at their own game. Brilliant! You notice that I am using a lot of exclamation marks -- well, that is because I love this movie! It is filled with tonnes of pop-culture references and wonderful characters that really pull us into the story. Neve Campbell plays the main character, Sidney Prescott, a soft on the outside, but hard on the inside girl, David Arquette plays the town “sheriff” part as Deputy Dewey, Courteney Cox rocks as a sleazy reporter, Skeet Ulrich shows us his Johnny Depp-like powers as Sidney’s boyfriend Billy, Rose McGowan plays Sidney’s big-chested friend Tatum, and I could go on forever with this list, but I will stop with my favorite character, Randy Meeks, a film-geek that lays out all the rules of the film, played perfectly by Jamie Kennedy.

Scream I am glad to say is not one of those films I can just sum up in a couple of sentences and still do justice. It is more complex and layered than you will ever know (check out the commentary on the DVD) and displays all of Wes Craven’s talents. He is definitely at the top of his game here. With lots of blood and slashing to satisfy the psycho-killer in all of us and meaty dialogue, I consider Scream to be not just one of the best horror films ever made, but also one of the best films ever made as well. Scream is a classic!


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: A fresh and original horror film that is an instant classic.

The Bad: Teens will probably want to see more nudity.

The Law: Turn down the lights, grab your popcorn, and SCREAM!